Seat Reservations

 

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The office cab was almost filled and all the windows seats were definitely taken. At the last stop a rather young lady employee entered. Her eyes swept through the cab and she understood that there is no seat where she can actually sit alone or  along with a lady employee.

She turned to the guy sitting alone in a window seat and pointed to another empty seat and asked him to move there. The guy had not much choice. He just got up and occupied the seat next to the other guy. And she sat comfortably in the empty seat.

Why did this scene leave me uncomfortable? Why did I feel bad for the male employee? Would it have been much better if she had just occupied the space next to him?

PS: I am someone who will stare at strangers if they occupy ladies seat in public buses. And I don't allow strange men to come and occupy the seat next to me either. But I don't apply the same rule to my fellow employees...or should I?

PPS: I support explicitly reserving few seats in the front of every cab for female employees who are expecting. But then I don't support prosecuting males for not relinquishing the seats for totally healthy females. Yes. Prosecuting them with stares !!!